8 Ways To Reduce Your Wedding Guest List

Your guest size is the single biggest factor in determining the cost of your wedding, and in many cases, the venue you can - or cannot - hire.

Unless you’re getting married overseas, almost no-one turns down a wedding invite so you can forget hoping for some drop-outs to get your “B-grade” friends on the list…

Here’s my top tips for cutting your wedding guest list:

No kidsIf Cousin Janine expects to bring her football team’s worth of children, that could inflate your guest list in no time. Make it child-free and it not only reduces your guest list but also eliminates the drama of screaming babies, naughty children and teenagers getting drunk at your wedding.

No “plus one” for singlesUnless they're seriously attached, living together or engaged, don't give free rein for friends to bring virtual strangers who happen to be their current lovers. It rockets your guest numbers and you have no idea how they behave socially.

No long-lost friendsIif you haven’t seen a pal in over a year for a coffee, lunch, dinner, movie, BBQ or party, nor heard from them via phone, text, email or letter, no harm done.

No facebook-only friendsWe’ve got all them. People we love connecting with on social media but if you’ve never met face-to-face IRL (in real life), you will “like” the fact you have one more spare space by not inviting them.

No non-lunch co-workersWhen you’re at work, who do you have lunch with? These guys get first guernsey at the guest list: the cute guy in accounts doesn’t (and if he did, why are you still getting married?)

No corporate guestsIf Daddy is paying for the wedding while it would be fair if some of his cronies can attend, it’s not a convention in Las Vegas to win business. But unless your father really does hang out with them socially, VIPs will feel embarrassed and awkward while your parents fawn over them and not you and your bride/groom-to-be.

No notorious exesWhile most parties thrive with a bit of “will they/won’t they get back together?” drama, it’s a fair bet your partner could do without the stress of dodging drunken toasts and inappropriate touching by their or your ex-partner. Fun for others to watch, though.